14-i GLANDERS AND FARCY. 



As a means of assisting our diagnosis in these doubtful 

 cases, the opening of the sinuses of the head or face has been 

 suggested with the object of detecting the existence of the 

 characteristic growths or sores on the membrane hning these 

 cavities, which by some is said in every case to be invaded by 

 them. Now, although in every examination of ordinary 

 glanders which I have made, and where the specific changes 

 existed on the visible mucous membrane of the nose, the same 

 were detected on the membrane of the sinuses, examinations 

 conducted by other competent observers seem to throw doubt 

 on the constancy of this phenomenon. 



Farcy, both acute and chronic, must be diagnosed by watch- 

 ing for and recognising the specific local lesions. A remem- 

 brance of the characters of these, and a careful examination to 

 see that they really exist, will save us from much vexatious 

 annoyance, and is, in truth, the only means generally available 

 by which we are able to arrive at a positive conclusion. In 

 acute farcy, as in acute glanders, there is always greater proba- 

 bility of our being able to speedily determine the question of 

 the specific character of the lesions which may be presented to 

 our view. The diseases which specially simulate farcy, and 

 which, in certain stages of their development and under 

 certain conditions, may be mistaken for it, are chiefly those 

 which invade the extremities, or which in their progress ex- 

 hibit special symptoms in local changes connected with these. 

 'Lymphangitis,' idiopathic and traumatic, both acute and 

 chronic; 'variola equina,' horse- pox, either of itself or com- 

 plicated with the former ; and simple local ' oedema,' are the 

 chief affections with which farcino-glanders may be confounded. 



The usual form in which ' idiopathic lymphangitis ' — weed 

 — makes its appearance, or the suddenness of its attack, the 

 marked febrile symptoms, pain of the limb and lameness, with 

 the swollen, inflamed, and corded condition of the large Ij'mph- 

 vessels on the inner surface of the limb, together with the 

 infiltration of the subcutaneous connective tissue and con- 

 sequent swelling of the whole limb, together with swelling and 

 pain of the lymphatic glands of the inguinal region, is not 

 unlike the early stages of acute farcy. In some subjects, in 

 certain situations, and with certain surroundings, we are 

 necessitated to wait for a few days ere being sufficiently satisfled 



